It is always going to be complex to get the balance right between grabbing the local economy benefits but also preserving local communities, culture, and the environment. 

There are people who have managed to get real benefit from visitors – they’ve gained jobs, started businesses, and enjoyed welcoming people to their home, sharing it with those who’ve travelled across the world for the experience 

But an unchecked, unmonetised, regular influx of visitors can quickly overwhelm our infrastructure, resources, and that very charm that drew them to come by in the first place.

Orkney is one of those places where the level of tourism feels unsustainable – partly because of the sheer numbers, but also because there is a lack of benefit to most people in the community.  I know that when I hold my surgeries over the summer, I’ll be fighting the tourists for car parking, hall hires, and a coffee or something for lunch.

It is now common across Europe that those visiting for their holidays should pay a local area tax – usually to the local authority, in recognition that, regardless of where they are staying, they are having an impact on local services. 

Scotland bringing in the option for councils to raise money in this way is a good thing – and I hope that people and local authorities across the country embrace it for what it is – a necessary step forward and a helpful source of revenue to cope with the pressures of tourism. 

The SNP has been instrumental in bringing this legislation in – the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act began as a government bill to empower local authorities to introduce a charge on overnight accommodation.  Local context can be taken into account – councils can tailor the levy based on consultation with local people, organisations, and businesses. 

I’ve also backed calls for a cruise ship levy.  Cruise ship passengers might join the town for a few hours – often temporarily doubling the population in the process – but the economic impact of that often feels negligible in comparison to the pressure they place on popular, cherished, sites and small island shops and services.

The government has now consulted on the potential for a separate cruise ship levy, with responses currently being analysed, with the work to do that continuing over this summer period.  

A small payment each time a boat visits could mean big things for Orkney – monetising an event that is quite difficult, as it stands, to capture real community benefit from. 

The Scottish Government remains clear that it wants Scotland to be a “global leader in 21^st century tourism” – meaning we want to welcome people, but in a way that gives a great experience for visitors and locals alike, in a sustainable, responsible way.  The visitor – and cruise ship – levies are crucial parts of this.  Tourism in Scotland must not just be economically beneficial to a few sectors, but socially and environmental goods – ensuring that the natural beauty and Highland and Island culture that bring people here are preserved and enhanced – not diminished – by their popularity.

This is a regular column by SNP MSP Emma Roddick. All Highlands and Islands MSPs have been offered the same space in The Orkney News to share their views.